1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cooking devices, and in particular, to a high temperature solid grill plate type grill suitable for oriental cooking.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The standard grill comprises a heating means (usually charcoal or a gas burner) and a grate. The grate is generally constructed of two sets of parallel steel wires which intersect at right angles. Food is positioned on this grate above the heating source for cooking. Although this standard grate is quite suitable for cooking certain foods, some of its characteristics render it unsuitable for cooking oriental food. Firstly, regardless of the heating source employed, the temperature of the grate never reaches a sufficiently high temperature. Some types of oriental cooking is done by placing the food to be cooked on a very hot plate (in the neighborhood of 900.degree. F.) for a very short time. The food is quickly moved around the surface of the plate to allow uniform cooking. The standard grate rarely can provide a temperature greater than 500.degree. F. Furthermore, the grate construction of the prior art gilll makes it impossible to move the food quickly around the surface. The food, mostly vegetables and small pieces of meat, would fall through the openings in the grate. Additionally, the standard grate allows the juices and grease from the food to fall into the heating means. This costs the heating means with grease providing an extremely difficult cleaning situation. This problem persists even if the openings in the grate are made very small to keep the vegetables and meat from passing through. Another handicap of prior art grills is their inability to give the food the type of barbeque flavor associated with Mongolian barbequed food. The meat and vegetables must be cooked in their own juices to provide the flavor so greatly appreciated by those familiar with the oriental art of cooking. The openings in the standard grate serve therefore not only to foul heating means but also to deprive the flavor advantages attendant with food being cooked in its own juices. The grease caked heating source is both unsightly and unsanitary. Additionally, the dangers of a fire are greatly increased whenever grease is allowed to come into contact with the heating source.
It is similarly unsatisfactory to place a pan on top of the prior art grate. Not only is it inconvenient to cook in the pan but the disadvantages mentioned above are not overcome. In addition, moving the food quickly around the pan can cause grease to spill, greatly increasing the risk of fire.